Complimentary support programs: ACS's Man to Man, I Can Cope and Look Good, Feel Better, a Coping with Breast Cancer support group, and more

American Cancer Society Resource Library

Yoga.

In 2007 the community of Cypress, Texas, a thriving suburb of greater Houston, welcomed the opening of the North Cypress Medical Center. The new facility is the realization of a vision for high-tech healthcare delivered in a high-touch environment. To serve this growing community, North Cypress Medical Center
Founder, Chairman, and CEO, and University of Stanford-trained radiation oncologist Robert Behar, MD, envisioned an environment of care designed with the patient's comfort in mind. The result is a medical facility that boasts unique design details-including an elegant lobby with the look of a five-star hotel, creating an
ambience of comfort and luxury for patients and their families. Located on a 60-acre campus, the North Cypress Medical Center is comprised of a one million square-foot, 150-bed acute care hospital, flanked by two professionals buildings. The Cancer Center at North Cypress Medical Center, located in Professional Building
One, offers state-of-the-art treatment options in a convenient, close-to-home location. "What we do for a living is take care of patients. Every single thing is focused on that," said Dr. Behar. Leading cancer sites seen are breast, lung, and prostate.

Visitors access the Cancer Center at North Cypress Medical Center through a dedicated entrance on the ground floor of Professional Building One. Free valet parking is available. Here, too, design elements create a warm, inviting care environment. The entrance area features a reception kiosk and a striking central fountain, which promotes a calming ambience. Just beyond the reception area on the ground floor are the Cancer Center's radiation and medical oncology services. The Radiation Oncology Center, located on the right, has its own lobby area with comfortable seating and amenities including coffee and refreshments. An adjacent educational area provides brochures and informational materials for patients
and their caregivers. Also located here is an American Cancer Society (ACS) Resource Center. Staffed by the American Cancer Society, the ACS Resource Center is open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm, and is available to anyone in the community regardless of where they receive cancer treatment.

Cutting-Edge Radiation Oncology Treatment Options

The Radiation Oncology Centeris equipped with two Varian linear accelerators, a simulator, and a PET/CT scanner. Cutting-edge treatment modalities available to patients include:

3D conformal therapy

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS)

Body radiosurgery

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)

Imaged-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) with respiratory gating

Prostate seed implants

High dose rate brachytherapy (HDR) for prostate cancer.

To enhance the treatment environment for patients undergoing radiation therapy, specially designed art light boxes on the wall and ceiling
offer relaxing views of nature. Radiation Oncology Center staff includes a radiation oncologist, a physician assistant, two medical physicists, one dosimetrist, !ve radiation therapists, and one RN.

Medical Oncology Services are located on the left side of the ground floor. The Cancer Center's dedicated oncology infusion area has five private rooms and two large group rooms, each with eight treatment recliners. The medical oncology area is staffed by a six-physician medical oncology practice, four RNs, and a dedicated pharmacist. The Cancer Center's well-attended multidisciplinary tumor board meets twice a month. Participants include members of the cancer care team as well as primary care physicians, surgeons, and hospital staff.

Patients and caregivers have access to a wide range of social work and support services free of charge. Among the programs available are ACS programs Man to Man, I Can Cope, and Look Good, Feel Better. Yoga classes are available to patients on site at no additional cost. A monthly Coping with Breast Cancer and a Dialogue-Cancer support group are facilitated by social worker Janet Kantenberger, LCSW.

Just for Women

The North Cypress Medical Center’s Women’s Breast Center is located on the second "oor of Professional Building One. Carefully selected
design details foster a spa-like ambience in the Breast Center’s beautifully appointed lobby—soothing colors, cozy seating with plush pillows, and a
water feature help to create a calming, tranquil environment. Breast Center patients have access to the services of the program’s lay patient navigator
who has been trained by the Cancer Center. The Women’s Breast Center provides screening, diagnostic, and treatment services including:

Full-field digital mammography

CAD-assisted detection

Breast specific gamma imaging (BSGI) with the Dilon 6800 Gamma Camera

Ultrasound-guided biopsies

Stereotactic biopsies

Needle localizations

Ultrasound-guided cyst aspirations

Ductography

A lymphedema management program

Consultations and second opinions.

Giving Back to the Community

The Cancer Center at North Cypress Medical Center is committed to supporting the community it serves. "We are very much a part of ACS's Relay for Life," said Anthony Tranchina, BSRT(T), director of Radiation Oncology Services at the Cancer Center. "For the last two years our relay team has consisted of both hospital employees and cancer patients and their families. Over the past three years our team has raised close to $40,000."

In addition, each year the Cancer Center hosts Project Pink at North Cypress Medical Center to benefit the Houston Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. The popular Project Pink event features an educational seminar, luncheon, and fashion show, raising more than $130,000 over three years.

In turn, North Cypress Medical Center has been honored by the community receiving the 2009 Impact Award for community partnership and the 2010 Hope Award for ambassadorship.